Super Bowl Aftermath

The fun of football doesn’t have to end all at once. This week ahead in Nashville proves that there is hope for happiness after all the confetti has fallen on the field.

Monday, February 3rd, from 6-8pm, Scarritt-Bennett Center and Nashville Fair Food are joining together to provide Advocacy for Justice: Farmworker Exploitation, Anti-slavery & The Fair Food Project … for starters. At the Scarritt-Bennett Center, 1008 19th Avenue South, YOU can come learn directly from farmworkers about one of the most successful anti-poverty and anti-slavery programs of our generation. You can learn more about the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) work on modern-day slavery, human rights abuses, AND their pioneering model for social responsibility of a Fair Food Program based on a partnership with farmworkers, Florida tomato growers, and buyers. RSVP online here- http://conta.cc/1lPR885, and know that it is completely FREE to attend.

Speaking of FREE fun to attend, come out Tuesday night, February 4th, at 7pm at Mad Donna’s for another wonderful chapter of East Side Storytellin’. East Side Storytellin’ 30 will feature words from the local poet Stephanie Pruitt Gaines and then music from the cool Colour of London! The show will start at 7pm sharp, and there will be plenty of literature, music, creative conversations, food, drinks, art, and fun for everyone who takes the time to liven up their night and week. You can see more information about the details and how you can get yourself a good seat here- http://www.nowplayingnashville.com/event/detail/441815895.

Then, back to Scarritt-Bennett Center on Wednesday, from 7:30am-9am, in order of celebrating the first week of February as Wold Interfaith Harmony Week (as designated by the UN) and the 4th Annual World Interfaith Harmony Breakfast. There will be such renowned panelists present- Aisha Lbhalla (The Muslim Women’s Council), Rev. Jennifer Bailey (SNAP outreach coordinator with Community Food Advocates), and Miriam Leibowitz (Reproductive Freedom Organizer with the ACLU-TN. The program is only $12, includes breakfast and program, and you can register online here- http://conta.cc/1ev3OP8.

The week’s events really ramp up on Thursday. Here is a list, outline form to preach it simple, for you to make plans accordingly (in chronological order):

1- From 6-7:30pm, at Art and Invention Gallery (1106 Woodland Street), novelist Victoria Schwab will celebrate the release of her latest novel called Unbound. Hosted by Art & Invention and East Side Story, YOU ALL (Y’ALL) are welcome to meet the author, enjoy some champagne (age willing) and hors d’oeuvres, and take home an autographed copy of Victoria’s latest book with purchase. Unbound is the follow-up story in the Archived series. It will be spectacular for sure!

2- On both February 6th at 6:30pm until February 7th at 8:30pm, Company Rose is partnering with the Frist Center for the Visual Arts and The Martha Rivers Ingram Commons at Vanderbilt University to present “Pools of Glass.” Both nights, from 6:30-8:30pm, at the Frist Center (919 Broadway), this FREE choreographed contemporary dance performance is completely FREE to attend and brings to movement the passage from Asia to the West.

3- From 7-8pm, at The Parthenon (Centennial park, 2600 West End Ave), come out and listen to the Artist Symposium: Talk by Kristin Llamas. Llamas is represented locally by Tinney Contemporary Gallery and her work can be seen at www.KLlamas.com and the collaborative work at www.AKLlamas.com. The artist will be speaking about the Socratic Dialogues at the Parthenon Museum on February 6th, 2014.

4- And then you can finish your night with East Side Storytellin’ 1 alum The Smoking Flowers playing a Palaver Records Showcase performance at Foobar at 9pm. Seriously, don’t miss it!

Jump, skip, and rest over Friday so you’ll have enough energy for Saturday’s fun in store.

Here, again in chronological order, are another round of events you need to check out, plain and simple form for your easy eyes and schedule:

1- In store, speaking of East Side Story (1108 Woodland Street, Unit B), from noon-2pm, you should drop by to see the latest from one of the most hard-working independent authors on the rise in that of Megan Duke. She is officially celebrating her book Small Circles with one and all. Snacks and free goodies will be available so you really don’t have any excuse. I know I’ll be there! I hope you will too.

2- From 1-4pm, at Turnip Green Creative Reuse (535 4th Avenue South), you can come make art and be a part of the Nashville Collage Collective. Bring a project, some materials to share, or just come and explore some cool stuff with some cool people.

3- For all of the people fearing Valentine’s day, present and/or past, leave it to The Porch Writers’ Collective to save your day. They will be presenting a special show, from 5-7pm, at The Stone Fox (712 51st Avenue N.) for their first Annual Heartbreak Happy Hour. Stories of romantic failures, songs, tears in beers, and ovational eating will take place with storytellers and singer/songwriters alike. It is FREE and fun for everyone who comes out!

4- Then, to end the night and weekend for good, besides the Second Saturday art crawl over at 5 Points East Nashville, from 6-9pm, YOU should quench your hunger for poetry and prose by heading on over to Portland Brew East (1921 Eastland Avenue) for Poetry in the Brew Open Mic Poetry Reading. The guest host is the lovely and talented Leslie LaChance, the feature will be Alita Terry, and readings begin at 6pm. Come correct and come early for a good seat.

I think the above is enough for you to get along just fine without football, despite whatever weather and/or storms come your way.

Thanks for taking time to visit and share the above. Remember to be nice to one another.

Share this article

Chuck Beard is a thinker by trade (will think for food; food for thought if you will), people observer-questioner/mEntal note-taker by habit (self-taught mind you), and curator of meaningless words searching for a dome near you.